Electric switch.



'No. 825,838. PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

E. B. JAGOBSON.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4 1905.

Faye. F4 6 1 Zflc'inesses: .Zhvqnion- QM 9W 9m- "Q Q I 5 necessarily restricted cairn]: [STATE-s PATENT Q EDWARD B. JACOBSON, OF 'rrrrsrrnnn, MASSACHUSETTS, assien onir o Y PITTSFIELD SPARK COIL COMPANY, OFPITTSFJIELD, MAsSAcHusm'rs. A CORPORATION F MASSACHUSETTS. a

.ELECTRIO' $WITCH.

Specification-f Letters'Patent'.

Patented Jul 10, 190B.

Application filed February 4,1905. Serial No. 24.4,082.

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, EDWARD B. JACOBSON, a citizen of the UnitedStates', residing at Pittsfield, in the county of Berkshire, State of Massachusetts, have'invented a certain new and useful. Improvement in Electric Switches,-of which the following is as ecification, reference being had therein tot e ac com anying drawings' 0 T e invention provi and its respective features, however, are not.

to use in this precise .connectlon. v

. I have herein presented the invention as embodied in a switchhaving two fixed con-' tact pieces or terminals insulated from each 2o otheranda movable contact piece'or arm which may be caused to engage with either one ,of the fixed contact-pieces or with both thereof simultaneously. The said switch is adapted to be employed, in connection with 2 5 two sets of batteries,with one of the said sets,

electrically'connected with one ofthe said fixed contact pieces or terminals and the other thereof with the other fixed contact piece or terminal. 1 When thus employed, go the engagement of the movable contactpiece with either' of the fixed contact-pieces closes the circuit with the corresponding set of batteries. When the movable contact piece or arm is caused to engage with both 3 5 fixed contact-pieces at once, the two sets of batteries are embraced in the circuit in multiple.

In accordance with one portion of the invention' the movable contact piece or arm is detachable and separately portable, enabling it to be disconnected from the switch when desired andplaced in ones pocket, the object of the removal of the Said contact piece or arm being to prevent the switch in the mean- 5 time from being tampered with and operated to close thecircuit with the batteries or either of them.

Other objects and features of the invention will be disclosed in the course of the ensuing o description.

A switch embodying my improvements is .shown in the said drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the said des an improved elec,- tric switch of a character adapting it to be' used as a battery-switch for automobiles and. for other like purposes. :Th'e invention" Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof looking from the right-hand sideinFig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section onfthe plane indicated by the dotted line 3 32in Fi 1. edge view looking from be OW in Fig. 1. Fi 5 is a back view. Fi 6 is a plan view wit the separatelyporta le contact-arm removed. Fig. 7 isa bottom view of the said contact-arm detaphed Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the said contact-arm:

' Having reference to esulating mount or base is shown at 1. It is formed of suitable insulating material and supports the different terminals and contact devices of the SWIllJGll. A-holder for the said insulating-mount is shown at 2, it consisting of'a metallic case or shell having a central opening which receives the insulating mount flange 3, that is formed with holes 4 4 for the passage of screws or the like employed in practice in securing the switch to the support therefor. The body of the said case or shell is formed with an inturned retaining lip or flange 5, which latter engages with a radiallythe insulating-mount to hold the latter in place within the opening of the case or shell. ,At 7 is shown a lining of vulcanized fiber or other suitable insulating material which is applied to the interior surface of the case or s ell below the insulating-mount.

At 8 8 are the two fixed terminals or cOnone side of the center of the insulating-mount.

means of an intervening portion of the material of the insulating mount or base. "The said terminals are provided with heads that occupy positions at the outer surface of the insulating-mount and with stems 9 9, that pass through holes in the insulatin -mount to the inner side of the latter, where t eypro- 'ect, the projecting portions of the said Stems eing screw-threaded and receiving-nuts, as 10, whereby the terminals are secured in place. With the addition of other nuts (not shown) to the said projecting portions of the stems 9 9 the latter serve as binding-posts for the corresponding electric conducting-wires of the batteries with which the switch is employed. A third conductin -wire of the cirswitch in plan. 1 cuit is in practice connecte with the screw the drawings, an

tact-pieces, locatedv adjacent each other at Fig. 4is an I or base and being provided with an attachingprojecting peripheral flange or shoulder 6 on v They are insulated from each other, as by 11, Figs. 3 and 5, which last serves as a bind In order to insure good electrical contact ing-post therefor. The head of the screw 1 1 is seated within the body of the insulatingmount, the stem thereof projecting at the mner side of the said mount and passing through the contact-spring 12, the seemingnut 13, and an additional nut, (not shown) which last serves in practice as a binding-nut for the said conducting-wire. The nut 13 secures the contact-spring 12 in place against the inner side or mount.

A swinging contact-arm is shown at 14, it being provided with a projection 15 for enagement with the fixed contact-pieces 8 8. The saidpontact-arm is formed of electricback of the insulatingally-conducting material, but is furnished with a handle 16, which is either formed of insulating material or is insulated. The said contact-arm has connected therewith a pivotal pin 17, which latter works in a bearing that is formed in a sleeve 18, which is-applied to the insulating-mount. The sleeve is formed with a portion of reduced diameter (see Fig. 3) that passes through a hole in the.

.msulatingmount, the shoulder or enlargement of the (sleeve adjoining the said reduced portion being seated in a recess in the outer surface of the insulating-mount, while the inner extremity of the reduced portion is externally screw-threaded and receives thereon a securing-nut 19, Fig. 3. The said-nut is locked, so as to prevent accidental turning thereof, by means of oppositely-located pins (shown in Fig. 3) passing through the same and the thickness of the insulating-mount and having the opposite ends thereof headed or riveted down. When the pivotal pin 17 is in place within the bearing of the sleeve'18, its inner end bears against the contactspring 12, and the contact-arm thereby is placed in electrical communication with the latter. The said pin 17 is fitted to'the bearing of the sleeve in a manner permitting it to be inserted into the said bearing or removed therefrom at will. This enables the movable contact-arm 14 to be applied to the switch or removed therefrom when desired. In order to render it impossible to close or complete the circuit after the removal of the movable contact-arm, by either accidentally or purposely placing a iece'ofconducting material in contact wit the outer or exposed end of the sleeve and with one or both of the fixed contacts 8 8, an electrical break is left between the inner end of the said sleeve and the proximateportion of the contact-spring 12. There is no actual contact between the said inner end and the contact-spring. Consequently when the pivotal pin is withdrawn from contact with the contact-springas,

the contact-sprin in consequence 0 that of the movable conagainst the contact-spring and to bend or flex the latter somewhat, as shown in Fig. 3. In order to prevent the pivotal pin from being expelled from the hearing by the reaction of or withdrawn therefrom tact-arm when the projection 15 of the movable contact-arm rides upon one of the fixed contact-pieces and causes the said contact arm, which is made of spring material, to bend or flex, I provide, in connection with the movable'contact-arm,'a locking means whereby to retain the contact-arm normally in place within thebearing, while leaving the contact-arm free to be swung or shifted with respect to the fixed contact-pieces 8 8. Thus 1 I furnishthe pivotal pin with a radial flange 20, Figs. 3, 7, and 8. To receive the said flange, the sleeve 18 is formed with an enlargement 21 of its central bore. Toengage with the said flange so as to retain it within the said enlargement, the sleeve is formed with opposite lips, which are represented in Figs. 3

and 6, and whichare adapted to overlap with ,theflange as indicated in the said figures. In order to provide for the removal and subsequent reinsertion of the movable contactarm, the flange 20 is, flattened at opposite sides, as shown in Fig. 7, and the space between the opposite li sis similarly shaped, as shown by Fig. 6. en the movable contact-arm occupies a position in which the length of its flange 20 is parallel or corresponds wit the length of the space between the lips of the sleeve, the sides of the flange will be free to slip outward or inward past the edges of the lips, and consequently the contact-arm may be moved so as either to withdraw the pivotal pin from the bearing therefor in order to detach the said contact-arm from the switch or to replace the pivotal pin in the said bearin and restore the movable contact-arm to wor 'ng relations with the remainder of the switch. The length of the space between the lips of the sleeve extends crosswise with relation to the switch, while that of the flange 20 extends in the direction of the length of the movable contact arm 14. Consequently when the movable contactarm extends in either direction crosswise with relation to the switch it is unlocked and free to be removed. Its replacement is provided for by causing it to assume the same position. When, however, the movable contact-arm-after being applied to the socket-sleeve 18 and after having its pivotal pin 17 inserted fully home within the bearing is turned, so that the length of the flange 20 is at an angle to the length of the lips of the socket-sleeve, the engagement of IIO sas

tendency to expel the pivotal pin from the bearing, The expulsion, however, is impossible so lon as the flange crosses the lips at an anglel en the contact-arm is moved into a position in which the length of the flan e and the length ofthe space between the ips correspond, the spring is permitted to act, it then operating to push the pivotal pin outward, thus partially or completely ejecting the same. 7

Each fixed contact-piece 8 is formed in its acting face with a V-shaped. notch or depression to receive the point of the rojection 15 of the movable contact-arm. he elasticity of the said contact-arm being brought into play by the bending or flexing of the contactarm that results when the rojection 15 is caused to rideup upon one oft e fixedcontactpieces, it insures that the said projection shall enter into the notch to which it is presented or into the space intermediate the fixed conaction.

tact-pieces and securely remain therein.- The V shape of the said projection, as well as that "of thenotches of the fixed contact-pieces, en-

ables the projection to return with certainty into a given notch or into the said intermediate s ace in case an accidental blow or a, jar shou d partially displace the movable contact-arm.

What is claimed as the invention is} other, separated by a narrow space, and each having a depression, and the movable contactarm having the pro1ection adapted to enter the depression of either fixed contact-pieceand'the space between the two fixed contactpieces', and which is held therein by spring 2. an electric switch, in combination, a

fixed contact-piece, a socket-bearing, a separately-portable contact-arm having 'a pin to enter the said bearing, means to lock the said contact-arm in connection with the socketbearing when the contact-arm occupies a normal working position and to release the said contact-arm when the latter is shifted to an abnormal position, to permit of the disconnection thereof, and a contact-spring which is placed under tension by the application of the contact-arm to the socket-bearing and acts to displace the said contact-arm when the latter assumes the said abnormal position 3. In-an electric switch, in combination, a fixed contact-piece, a separately-portable contact-arm havim a pivotal pin and a locking-shoulder, a soc et-bearing to receive the said ivotal pin, a lip to engage with the said shou der, the contact-arm being locked to the socket-bearing while the former occu ies a normal working position, and being re eased when caused to assume an abnormal position, to permit of the removal thereof and a contact-spring which is laced under tension by the application of t e contact-arm to the socket-bearing and acts to displace the said contact-arm when the latter assumes the saidabnormal position. i

4. In an electric switch, in combination, a fixed contact-piece, an insulated socket-bearing, aortable contact-arm havi a pin to enter t c said bearing, means to ice the said contact-arm in connection with the socketvbearing when the contactarm occupies a normal working position and to release the said contact-arm when the latter is shifted to an "abnormal position, to permit of the removal- 1. In an electric switch, in combination; the fixed contact-pieces insulated from each thereof, and a' contact-spring electrically insulated from the said bearing and with which 

